With so many two way radios rentals options on the market it can be difficult to know which radio rental to choose with advantages and disadvantages of each. There are Digital Radios, Analogue Radios, ATEX Radios and more recently POC Radios.
At Wall to Wall Communications we have been providing two way radio rental in the UK for over 40 years. Because of this we like to think of ourselves as ‘radio experts’. If you and your business are thinking about hiring walkie talkies to enhance the levels of communication between workers, then do not hesitate to contact us to speak to one of our experts.
So, what are the benefits of each radio?
Analogue radios
Analogue radios are the original form of radios, dating back to the beginning of the 19th century and is arguably the most common form of radio system. However, with advancements in digital radio this is declining, but they still very much have their uses. Analogue radios offer the basic and simplest form of wireless communication, typically just having a push-to-talk button, limited encryption options, scanning and one-to-one or group conversations. One of the main benefits of analogue radio rental is that they are simple to use and affordable to rent. This makes analogue radios ideal for smaller businesses.
Digital radios
Digital radios represent the advancements in two way radio communication, with most digital radio rentals offering the same features as analogue, just with added optional features. If your business requires signal across a wider range, digital radios offer a more reliable and consistent form of communication. In addition to this digital radios have the ability to distinguish between voices and background noise which makes communicating messages much clearer, perfect if you are working in a noisy environment. Other benefits include multiple channels, text messaging, reduced bandwidth consumption, compatible with new software applications and the ability to utilise digital and analogue simultaneously.
ATEX radios
An ATEX radio is a two way communication solution your business has been looking for if there is a risk of explosions on the premises. An ATEX radio rental is specially designed to safeguard employees around high risk substances such as gas, oils, chemicals or mines. Our ATEX radio rentals are produced to an extremely high standard that eliminates the risk of the radio producing any heat or spark that could ignite an explosion. ATEX radios are also waterproof, dust proof and function at a very low power output which keeps their temperature low. So even if your business is functioning in a high risk environment you can still optimise your communication to increase efficiency, security and safety with two way radios from Wall to Wall Communications.
POC radios
POC stands for Push To Talk Over Cellular. This effectively means that these radios use mobile signals to send and receive voice messages instead of the traditional radio waves. While this technology has been around for many years, in the past it was relying on the much slower 2G and 3G network which wasn’t very reliable and didn’t offer complete coverage. However, with the advancements of the mobile network to 4G and 5G, POC radios are rising in popularity.
So why choose POC radios over ‘traditional’ radios? One of the main advantages of POC radio rentals is that they do not need an OFCOM licence. This makes POC radio popular amongst companies located in densely populated areas where an OFCOM licence is hard to obtain. The other main advantage is that POC radio rentals have an unlimited range, as long as there is mobile signal or wifi. This makes POC radios particularly popular with businesses that travel throughout the UK such as couriers, taxis and delivery companies.
At Wall to Wall Communications we have have been working with two way radios for over 40 years. Their use in industries such as Construction,Events,Security,Hospitality Leisure,Auction Houses,Transportation,Retailers,Film Production,BanksorHospitals has helped to improve communication amongst staff which therefore increase efficiency, security and safety. However, with industries such as security being faced with confrontational situations on a regular basis, improved communication is not always sufficient enough to keep members of staff and the public safe. In addition to this, when confrontational situations arise there is not usually evidence to prosecute. This gap in the market has given rise to body cameras.
But what are body cameras?
A body camera, also known as ‘body-worn cameras’ is a small camera that is attached to the body that can be left running for the purpose of recording any interactions or incidences during working hours.
Why do staff wear body cameras?
Provides admissible evidence for courts: Typically incidences that occur at work are taken to court with only verbal testimonies and eye witness accounts. With body-worn cameras there is hard, factual and admissible evidence that can be used in court to ensure accurate accounts of the situation is relayed.
Used for training and review purposes: Recordings of situations and work related issues can be reviewed and used for training purposes. In turn this will increase productivity, efficiency and competence.
Decreases the likelihood of incidences: As well as ensuring incidences that do occur are accurately dealt with, body-worn cameras can actually decrease the likelihood of confrontations happening in the first place. When members of staff are wearing a visible body-worn camera, there is less likely to be an incident, with the presence of the camera acting as a visible deterrent.
Reduction in false accusations: In some industries, particularly the police, there are often false accusations made against the staff and/or member of the public for one reason or another. Wearing body cameras not only decreases the number of people making these false accusations, but false accusations can also be solved quickly and reliably with factual evidence.
Which industries could benefit from body cameras?
The rise in popularity of body cameras are mainly due to staff members and industries that have frequent contact with the public and that have high prevalence of either staff assault or accusations against staff. These industries can include door staff, security, blue light services etc. The use of body cameras can be applied to any company that feels they would benefit from their presence.
POC stands for PTT (Push To Talk) Over Cellular. This technology essentially allows a two way radio to use the mobile phone data network instead of radio waves. However, this is not a new technology and has been around for years. Where POC radios were previously relying on 2G and 3G mobile data networks, the technology was not advanced enough to deliver fast, clear and reliable voice communication. For this reason, POC never fully succeeded or dominated traditional two way radios.
Now with the advancements of the 4G data network and more recently the launch of 5G technology, PTT Over Cellular is becoming increasingly reliable. In the future, POC will likely replace traditional RF two way radios and for some businesses it’s already an appealing option.
What are the advantages of POC?
Virtually unlimited range: Traditional radios typically have a range of only a few miles and need the assistance of antennas to communicate further. However, with POC, as long as both of the handsets have mobile data or a WIFI signal, they will be able to communicate regardless of distance.This will allow you and your team the freedom to move freely without having to stay within the range of the radio signal. This can have the potential to expand your business without any limits and increase productivity.
Exemption from OFCOM licensing requirements: When working with traditional two way radios, to use of a radio frequency you need a license from OFCOM. When functioning in a dense urban environment, the demand for the limited spectrum of radio frequencies can be high. A benefit of POC is that they eliminate the need for an OFCOM licence before using. So if you are a business that functions in densely populated areas such as London or Edinburugh, POC could be a good option for you.
Who would benefit from POC technology?
Businesses that involve travelling would most benefit from POC technology. Where traditional two way radios have to be within range to communicate, POC radios can connect anywhere there is a mobile data signal or WIFI. As a result, businesses such as taxis, skip hire companies, couriers and haulage are ideal candidates. In addition to this, companies that span across multiple sites and across large areas would benefit from POC technology for the same reason. These can include security companies, retail firms with multiple outlets and industrial estates across the country.
Is it expensive?
In relative terms no. On average, the per handset cost is comparable with a traditional radio but there are some extra costs involved, namely the cost of data SIM package and a yearly service fee. However when compared to the high cost associated with installing repeater systems, POC can be a much less expensive option for users with large scale communication requirements.
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